Wheeled disk harrow



C. E. NEWKIRK WHBELED DISK HARROW June 3', 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1945 INVENTOR. CLARENCE NEW/02K wm Jim ATTORNEY June 3, 1952 c. E. NEWKIRK WHEELED DISK HARROW Filed March 13, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NNN m mw -M. f I. M/ w NMN June 3, 1952 c. E. NEWKIRK WHEELED DISK HARROW 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 13, 1945 ll/Ill INVENTOR. CLARENCE E IVEWKIRK Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 WHEELED DISK HARROW Clarence E. Newkirk, Lynwood, Calif.

Application March 13, 1945, Serial No. 582,533

11 Claims.

1 This invention relates to agricultural machines of the cultivating type and relates morepartisularly to disc harrows.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a disc harrow having two gangs of discs and provided with nove1 means for raising and lowering said discs with respect to the ground to obtain: (1) desired harrowing depth when cultivating; (2) full clearance of the discs with a road surface when being transported from place to place; (3) proper balance of the disc gangs to effect the above; (4) adjustability for obtaining desired harrowing relationship between the discs of the front and the rear gangs; etc. This invention is an improvement of my Patent No. 2,356,876, dated August 29, 1944.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means arranged in a novel manner for the running wheels of a disc harrow, whereby the.

disc gangs may function in a suitable manner when cultivating and when the harrow is being transported along a road or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide means aifording both manual and automatic relational positioning of the disc wheels of a harrow both when cultivating and when moving along a road or like surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide simple, sturdy and eflective mechanical linkage for controlling the movement of trackin wheels of a disc harrow for desired disposition of the harrowing discs thereof with respect to the ground."

A further object of this invention is to provide a disc harrow of the type indicated in which means are provided for adjusting theposition of one gang of discs with relation to the other gang and to the tracking wheels of the harrow.

A further object of the invention is to provide means ina harrow for obtaining angular adjustment of one of the gangs of discs thereof with respect to the other gang inaccordance withdevide a harrow having tracking wheels and con- 2 justment of the position of the tracking wheels of a harrow and, consequently, desired cultivating depth of the discs of said harrow.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide novel means affording suitable relational positioning of a scraper to a harrowing disc.

The invention is further characterized by the novel design and arrangement of the details and components thereof.

My invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economlcal of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a plan view of a disc harrow incorporating features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial side view thereof as seen in direction of arrow 2 of Fig. l, and illustrated at a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a similar view as seen in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing disc scraper mountingmeans according to this invention. i

Fig. 5 is a broken, enlarged partial sectional and partial elevational view of a preferred embodiment of manually adjustable means for effecting relative movement of the tracking wheels and the harrow gangs. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tracking wheels and the control linkage therefor.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of .means for mounting a hitch to the harrow herein.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail of the invention. 7

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. '7, showing an alternate connecting means for the hitch bar. The present embodiment of the invention may be said to comprise a front gang IS, an auxiliary 22 as controlled by a pulling vehicle foreil'ecting automatic adjustable movements of the harrow.

and such other details, elements and devices as are hereinafter described.

The front gang of the harrow, may comprise a main frame 23, said frame preferably comprising transverse members 24 and 25 and a plurality of longitudinal members 26, 21, 28 and 29. The members 24 to 29, inclusive, may be of suitable metal and of light strong cross section, and, for= this. purpose, ,may be. structural angles as shown; The fiamea23 may serve: to carry a: plurality of harrow discs 30 between the transverse members 24 and 25. Said discs are sub, stantially uniformly spaced and mounted rigidly on a tube 3| or the like for free rotationdn journal bearings which may be carried. on brackets 32 and 33 fixed on the respective members 26 and 29. The center of the tube and? consequent ly, the center of rotation of the harrow discs ispreferably below the frame 23 as shown best in Eig,v3. Means are provided affording adjustment ofjthelgang of discs, both laterally andangularlywith respect to the frame 23: For-this" purpose; the. brackets 32 and" 33. are" each preferably prov-idedwith plural pairs :of mounting holes 34 and 3i'fonselectiile engagementwithbolts' 36"whereby the. journalv bearings of'the tube 3 I. may be sedurect to the brackets aZand 33 bypassing said bolts either through 'holes34 or B'y'mounting,,one.journal bearing in theholes- 3.4-of"brack eti'33and'the'other'inithe holes"35 of*bracket"3-2, tliedisctubeiil mayjbei disposed at an angle-to the, frame 23' andthe discs presented f'or earth turning operation at a"greaterangleto the path of movement of. the" narrow: The" presentation tiveilongitudinaliframe members 43 and 45. The center ofthi's' tube and; consequently, the center of the discs. 46 are alsopreferablybelow the frame 40" a's'seen-in" Fig. 2. The-means for'providing adjustment of the' gang of discs b'oth laterally andiangularly w-ith-respect"tor the frame 4|l'may'be-similarto that "describedfor 'thef-front= gang f discs. From Fig: Iitwillbe' seerrthat. the discs of thegangs l5andi l6 are arrange-(1' in" staggered relation with one'end disc 30tt'of gang" I5 and oneend disc'4 Baofgangl 6 bein'gthe'outerlateral discsof the har row. It maybe-"desired to"-ar-* range the end. disc 46?) as" the outer" lateral disc. This may be-accompl-ished byp'roviding for-ad jfrstmentdatera'lly; of the'ga-ng Hi To this=end, the framed!) may include a third longitudinal member 50" to= which the transverse members 43, 44 and 45 are fixed, said 'member'5ll being adapted" to have apositiorrwith respect to the member 42 as shown by the -dot' d'ash lines 'of a plurality of lugs 5 52 which may li'ave selective mounting: engagement .lhi 5 provided in the -longitudinal -memlder V e members 42 "and' '5|l-, being preferably- 75" 4 angle members, additional aligned holes in the legs of these members may, also be provided for securing bolts or the like.

When it is desired to move the frame 5| from its full line position to its dot-dash line posi-- tion, clearance over the wheel I1 is afforded by moving the brackets 48 and 49- nearer to the transverse member 4|. For this purpose, also, the: angle member 54 may bemoved from its position: betweemthe members 4| andiSl) to overstand and rest upon the member 4|. As shown ,in Fig. 1 in addition to the full line position of the with desiredresults.

The two frames 23 and 40 may be rigidly connect'ed-as by: members 55, 56 and 51 which connectto. the members 25 and 42. The frames 23 and 40 are thus arranged to form a V which, whileshown inverted may be right side up as can benn'derstoodi The operating mechanism- IQ for the'trac'king wheels I! and I8 may be carried by'themembers- 55f 56- and 51. For this'purpose shafts" SIP and 61* are preferably provided; said shafts being carried by the aforementioned members as in bearings 5-81 The-'- wheel H may; be carried for free* rotation on the" end of an arm 6'2 fixed on theshaftfil), and, similarly; the 'wheel lamabe carried by an' 'arm 63? on theshaft 6|; The-= arms"' 62' and 63 are-preferably arranged in op posite directions as' shown. The shaft 6|] may" beprovided with anarm 64" andt'heshaft 'lfi, withan arm'65. 35'

- The=wheels ll and I8 maybe-movedwith're spect to each other" and with" respect to- -'tlie'= frarn'epf the harrow'. For this purpose ai-cont'rol shaft fifi" may carry an arm (ii-which; through the medium''' of 'links" 68' connects with tlie' arm tionthe shaft Another 'arm 69 0f!" the-shaft EiFmay be connected to the=arm 65" on-the-*shaft 6| as by links 10-. The"-arms4i and lifiare sub stantially similar in length and} therefore; rotational' movement of-- the control shaft 66' 'will cause a like rotation-of "the 'sliaft' -BBE However; |:li'e'-peint Tl on=the arm liili's'a 'greater distance from the shaft 66 than is the lir rkend of="the*' arm" fromits shaft B l;- Hence} the angular move faster than the wheel l-T when the" arm 69 is' moved around theaxisof' 'the control shaft fid."

The manuallyadjustable means 20 may prise anadjustable screw assembly: wliichis 8611 into which one end of saidarm and a bracket 'secu-red thereon. 'Ilie arm 69='- and bracket-12 may be' provi'dd with bearing holes 13' for-*trunnions on opposite sides" of. a bloek 'lli'," sai-d block being providd screw stem lll liaviirg a shoulder: 19 engaged with a thrust washer" lliwbearing on thethrustfibear ing, may pass axially througlttlfeblocl l it The? reduced part flll of th'e screw stemyextefiding from the-screw; Stemware form an' -annular'spaee an innersleevei 86 may :move: The other end of saiii ir mer sleeve 8B may bethreadsdty connectedito arcouplin'gwl which may be similarly connected to the reduced internally threaded end 88 of a tube or pipe 89. The assembly 20 is completed by providing a bar 90 as by welding it on the end of the'tube 89.

It may be seen that upon rotation of the handle 83, the stem 18, through the medium of its threaded connection with the tube 89, will cause longitudinal movement of said tube with respect to the block 15, the sleeve 86 moving into theannular space 86a. The nut 82 will take the thrust in one direction and the stem shoulder 19 in the other. It will also be seen that bodily movement of the block 15 is effected by an end-' wise push or pull on the bar 90, to cause move;-. ment of the arm 69 and thus partial rotation of the control shaft 86., The above described assembly may be kept in good operating condition since lubricant such as grease may be introduced into the various sleeves and tubes to minimize wear of theparts and to afford freedom of movement among the parts.

The means 22' which may be connected to a vehicle towing the harrow, may comprise a lever 95, pivoted as at 96 on an angle bracket 91 carried as by the frame member 24. Said lever may be pivotally connected as at 98 to the bar 90 above mentioned. The lever 95 as by a clip 99 may be connected to a chain I which may be secured-to parts of said towing vehicle. The lever 95 may, on an arm IOI thereof, carry a universal pivot means I02, and through said means, may be connected to a link I03 arranged transversely to the lever 95. Through the medium of the connection means I02, the lever 95 may move in a horizontal plane around its pivot 96 and the link I 03 may move in a vertical plane transversely thereto. The means I02 may be simply made of a horizontal U-shaped part I04 and a vertical similar part I welded in a face of the part I04. This arrangement can best be seen in Fig. 8.

The link I03 may be provided with a plurality of holes I06 and'is adapted to move within the hollow part I01 of a link I08 mounted on one arm of a bell crank lever I09 which may be pivoted as at I III on the frame 23. The other armof said bell crank lever, through the medium of links I I I, may 'be connected to an arm II2 carried by the draw bar 2 I.

The draw bar is preferably mounted for pivotal movement as on brackets I I3 carried by the frame 23, said brackets carrying pivot pins II4 for side arm bars H5, '8, I I1 and the mentioned arm II2. Between the arm bars I I5 and H6, which are on opposite ends of the frame 23, the draw bar may be fixed or carried as shown. A preferred structure of draw bar comprises an inverted channel I I8 with a plate I I9 welded therein to form a box which is light yet sturdy and inflexible for the purpose,

, A hitch may be provided. For. this purpose the front wall I20 and the rear wall I2I of the channel II8 may be provided with suitably spaced holes I22 for selective engagement with pins I23 carried'by block I24, which, by means of bolts I25 may be locked into place on either side of the channel I I8 and in contact with the channel faces I20 and I2I. Said bolts I25 may pass through aligned holes in a hitch bar I28 and a, plate I21 on therespective lower and upper surfaces of the draw bar.

The modification shown in Fig. 9 contemplates the omission of the pins I23 and the holes I22 of the previously described form. Accordingly, the bar I26 may be aflixed at any point along the length of the draw 'bar 8. One block I24 01.

the previous form is retainedbut without the pin I23. The plate I21 is replaced by a sector-shaped plate 221 which has a plurality of holes 228 arranged in an arc which centers on the hole 229. The other block I24 is replaced by a relatively larger semi-circular spacer plate 224, the chordal edge 230 of which abuts the edge I-of the draw bar I I8. In this construction, the bolt .125 is mounted as before, and the desiredangle between the draw bar I I8 and the hitch bar I26 is selectively attained by placing the bolt 225 intoone of the respective holes 228 of the sector plate 221, into an aligned holeprovided in the spacer plate 224, and through a hole in the hitch bar I26.

When the bolts I and 225 are pulled up tightly, the straight side of the block I24 bears on the edge I2I of the draw bar and the chordal edge I 230 of the spacer 224, bears on the other edge I20 of said draw bar to clamp the latterfirmly and effectively. Sluch clamping engagement may be efiected at any point along the length of said draw bar andfat the three angular positions-provided for by the three holes 228.

The discsfifl and 46 may be provided with means for cleaning out accumulations of earth. Accordingly, the member 25 of the frame 23 and the member54 of the frame 40, may each-be formed with suitable holes I30 for bolts I3I which mount scrapers I32 associated with-each harrow disc. Suitable adjustment of the scrapers is provided for bythe provision of a block I33 for each scraper. Each block may have an elongated hole I34 and an edge I35 adapted to engage the top edge I36 of the member 25 or the member 54, as the case may} be. A bolt I36, passing through each hole I34 and engaged with the scraper may serve to lock each scraper in suitable angular position for desired relation to each respective disc. By sliding the block I33 along the top edge I36a, tilting the scrjaper accordingly, and blocking up the bolts I3I and I36, each scraper may be individually adjusted,

. By means of the above structure, with, the wheelsdisposed as in Fig. 2, a vehicle towing the harrow as bythe hitch bar I26 will function to turn the soil engaged by the discs 30 in one direction, and to turn the soil by the discs 46, in the other direction. Should a deeper penetration of the discs be desired, the handle 83 may be turned to provide for elongation of the means 20. and,

consequently, raising of the wheels I1 and-I 8 with respect to the discs to allow said discs to penetrate the soilto a greater depth. Reverse adjustment of 'the handle 83 will cause the wheels to be lowered with respect to the discs so that their soil penetration will be less.

During normal operation, the link I03 reciprocates telescopically in the hollow of the link I08 in accordance with inequalities in the soil as the harrowing proceeds. When'the harrow is to be moved as along a road, a pin or bolt may be inserted in one of the holes I 40 after a pull has been exerted on the lever by pulling on the chain I 00 by a hitch connection on the towing vehicle or tractor. This pull, which is exerted on the abutment bar I4I carried by the frame 23, tilts the lever 69 in the direction of the arrow I42 to move the wheels I1 and I8 downwardly with respect to the harrow discs and cause bodily raising of the harrow frame, and, consequently, 'the'discs 30 and 46'. In this condition, a bolt I43 may also be inserted in'one of the holes I06 of link I03 for abutment with the end of the,

Wit

from" th marrawJ consequefiug tl'v t amass 10; 1'60 rowing" ng'a'gemenbwitif sids of said frarfi, an arm coiiiictih e" rected. Thus, the latter leg of each aifgiezw-whefi' ofish'aft ee by arwge; arm 61-on said=shaft link u desire ail myself of a'llf rii'odi s fiq armdi l; shaft fiaand arm Blomthe latterg shaft-gr d its respeptive whegl sai gl'arifis bi ri'g oppositely giisposda corrtrql shaft; Ifiahs goir- Irectingsai d; control st af-t withsaigi pair ofishaffis for ofioratings said sharps ar d the 'whls 0131 to the arms thereofsim'ultifieou'siy a?? different speeds and means to operate said control shaft. I

2 In an agricultural machine having front and rear gangs of discs, means for supporting said gangs, said means comprising a pair of shafts disposed between the gangs, and a wheel carried by each shaft in relative offset relation thereto, a control shaft, means for effecting partial rotation of said control shaft, arms on the control shaft and the aforementioned wheel shafts, and links connecting the arms of the respective shafts, said links being connected to said .arms at different distances from the respective shafts whereby the centers of said. wheels will move simultaneously at different speeds upon rotation of said control shaft.

3. In an agricultural machine, a frame, discs carriedby the frame, support wheels. for the frame, a pair of shafts on said frame, each having an arm' on the ends of which said wheels are mounted, a control shaft on said frame, pivotal connections between said control shaft and said pair of shafts, an arm on said control shaft, and adjustable linkage connected with said armand manually operable rotationally to move said arm relatively thereto to regulate the engagement of the discs with the ground, said adjustable linkage being bodily movable longitudinally to disengage the discs completely fromthe ground.

4.'In an agricultural machine, a frame, discs carried by the frame, support wheels, a pair of shafts mounted on said frame and provided with oppositely disposed arms on the ends of which said wheels are mounted, a control shaft having an operating arm, means on said last named shaft connecting with said pair of shafts for operating same and said wheels bodily to regulate the engagement of the discs with the ground, screw means carried by said arm and abutting said frame to move said arm and varyingly regulate the engagement of said discs with the ground, a crank for operating said screw means, and means for moving said screw means longitudinally to effect complete disengagement of the discs from the ground.

5. In an agricultural machine, a frame, discs carried by the frame, support wheels, liftinglowering means on said frame for said wheels including an arm for each wheel, said arms being oppositely disposed, an arm operatively connected with said lifting and lowering means, a block on said arm, a screw stem rotative in said block, and non-rotational means connected with said screw stem and abutting said frame to move said block with the screw stem longitudinally relative to the non-rotational means, said means being operable bodily to move said stem and said arm thereby to effect lifting of the discs from engagement with the ground.

6. In an agricultural machine adapted to be towed, a frame, a pair of wheels supporting said frame and arranged to balance the same, a gang of harrow discs carried by the frame, one on each side of the wheels and balanced thereby, a pair of shafts between the discgangs and carried by the frame, an 'arm on each shaft and each mounting one of said pair of wheels on its free end, said arms being oppositely directed, one toward one gang of discs and the other toward the other gang, a control shaft parallel to said pair of shafts and also carried by the frame, linkage including an arm connecting the three shafts, manually operable screw means connected with said latter arm to adjust the pair of shafts and the wheels relative to the disc gangs and frame,

and means connected to the screw means and the vehicle towing said machine for longitudinally and bodily moving'said screw means to effect the mentioned wheel adjustment.

7. In an agricultural machine adapted to be towed along the ground, at least one gangof cultivating discs arranged at an'angle to the normal direction of straight line movement of the machine, a frame mounting said gang of discs, a hitch connecting the frame and thetowing device and mounted on the frame to have limited tilting movement, a member carried .by the frame and connected to the towing device to move relative to the frame only when said towing device turns in a direction opposed to the direction in'which the angularly arranged gang of discs will track in the ground, a pair of wheels carried-by the frame, and means connecting the wheels and said member for holding the former elevated off the ground when the discs are in ground cultivating position, said means being moved by said member to lower the wheels into engagement with the ground upon turning of the towing device in the aforementioned direction, whereby the frame and the gang of disks are elevated with respect to the ground.

8'.In an agricultural machine adapted to be towed along the ground, at least one gang'of cultivating discs. arranged at an angle to the normal direction of straight line movement of the machine, a frame mounting said gang of discs, a hitch connecting the frame and the towing devicejand mounted on the frame to vhave limited tilting movement, av membercarried by the frame and connected to'the towing device to move relative to the frame only when said towing device turns in a direction opposed to the direction in which the angularly arranged gang of discs will track in the ground, a pair of wheels carried by the frame, means connecting the wheels and said member for holding the former elevated off the ground when the discs are in ground cultivating position, said means being moved by said member to lower the wheels into engagement with the ground upon turning of the towing device in the aforementioned direction, whereby the frame and the gang of discs are elevated with respect to the ground, a fixed pivot on said frame for the hitch, and means interconnecting said pivot and the mentioned member and having an intermediate fixed connection with the frame for tilting said hitch with respect to the frame as the latter raises, whereby the frame is adapted to assume a substantially level position on its wheels.

9. In a harrow, adapted to be towed, a framework, a series of discs mounted on the framework, axles on the framework, crank arms on two of the axles respectively, ground wheels on said crank arms mounted to be raised and lowered. relative to the discs to regulate the depth of the discs in the ground and their distance above the ground,- a lever pivotally mounted on the framework to actuate the wheels, a crank arm on a third axle on the framework, link means connected with the last-mentioned crank and with the lever linkage between the last-mentioned axle and the other two axles arranged to rotate the latter axles in opposite directions by rotation of the third axle in a given direction, and means connecting with the lever to operate same from tow means for the harrow.

10. In an agricultural machine adapted to be towed, a frame, a pair of wheels supporting said frame and arranged to balance the same, a gang to one of said third flair of arms i v 

